It is funny how Reuters is reporting on this as something new. Banks can stop people from withdrawing their funds at ANY TIME. The government doesn't have to make a law or anything. The deposits at a bank are their own(in the U.S. that is) and they have an IOU to the people who put the money in there. Again, once you put YOUR money into the bank, it becomes THEIR money. You have to ask for it back, and they determine if they want to give it back. If you want to sue them, to get your money back, what money do you have to hire a lawyer? It is all in the bank.